Connecter for electric conductors



Sept; 27,1927.- F F HILLIX 1,643,659

CONNECTER FOR ELECTRIC GONDUGTORS Filed April 20, 1925 atroz N113 Patented Sept. 27, 1927.

UNI'IED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

FOSTER F. HILLIX, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

OF DELAWARE.

CONNECTER FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR/S.

Application filed April 20, 1923. Serial No. 633,428.

This invention relates to a connecter for electric conductors and particularly to what may be termed a series tap 'connecter by which one part such as a rheostat may be connected in series with 'another part such as a motor by tapping into one of a pair of conductors employed to supply current to the motor.

The chief object of the invention is to provide a connecter of this type which is very effective for the purpose stated, and which can be produced inexpensively.

The invention may be briefly summarized as consisting incertain novel details of con struction, and combinations and arrangements of parts. Y l

In the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein I have shown the preferred embodiment of lthe invention, Fig. 1 is a ysectional view through the connecter showing the twoA conductors connected in place and showing` by dotted lines the male member of thel connecter which cooperates with the part forming the present invention; Fig; 2 1s a trans 'r verse sectional View substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end view; Fig. 4 is a side view; Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively an inside facey view and an edge View of one-half of the connecter body or casing; Fig. 7 is a sectional view through a flanged sleeve which is fitted onto the ends of the two halves ofthe casing; Fig. 8 is a face view of oneV of the insulating disks which carry the two contacts; and Fig. 9 V*is a side view of one of the contacts partly broken away.

Referring now to the drawings, the connecter involving my invention preferably includes a T-shaped body or casing 10 provided at one end with a head 11 containing a straight across or through passageway 111 to accommodate `a pair of conductorsfor an insulated cable containing a pair of conductors and having at right angles thereto an connects with the passageway 11a, and adapted to accommodate a pair of contact members to which the ends of one of the two conductors are designed to be connected.

The casing 10 preferably consists of two which complementary or counterpart T-shaped halves 10a, such as shown in Figs, 5 and 6, stamped from sheet metal, each of these halves having semi-cylindrical portions forming halves `of the p'assageways 11a and 12a. vIn the assembled connecter the two halves of the casing when placed edge to edgel are designed to be held together by flanged holding rings or sleeves, two of which, designated 13, are designed to be fitted onto the ends of the head 11, and a third, designated 13a, designed to be fitted onto the end of the extension 12. These rings fit friction tight on the parts and hold the two halves of the casing in assembled relation, but they can be forced olf so as to permit the casing to be opened to give access tothe interior. Within the extension 12 the contact part of the connecter. The latter includes an insulating contact carrier which in this instance consists of two disks 14 of insulating material which carry two contacts 15 having portions tightly fitted in the disks and holding them in spaced relation. The contacts 15 are in this instance female contact members adapted to receive with a sliding fit the contacts of a plug or co-operating connecter member 16 into which is extended a cable such as `17, carrying the two conductors designed to be connected to the part which is to ybe tapped into the circuit formed by the two main conductors eX- tending through the head of the connecter. The plug 16 forms no part of the present invention and need not be shown in detail.

Suitable means is provided for preventing the contact part of the connector from turning in the extension 12, and this is preferably done by giving one or both of the insulating disks 14 flattened portions 14a, and by depressing the casing as shown at 12b to form a pair of shoulders against which the flattened portions of the disk or disks bear. Furthermore, itis obviously desirable that the contact part of the connecter` be .held

from endwise movements in the extension 12.

Movement in an outward direction is in this instance prevented by providing an .inturned [ip 12C on the free end of the extension 12 as of the casing is.

clearly shown in Figs. l and 2, and4 movement in an inward direction is prevented in this case Aby punching inward short tongues 12d designed It Abear, against 1the innermost vdisk lll, 'as shown in Figs. l fand 2, the tongues ld being shown also in Figs. a, 5 and 6.` .i

, AA cablenrhch, Contains. the .Conductors forming the circuit into which the connecter is to be tapped and Which'is designed to Lbe extended through the head end 11 ot the connecter, is shown at 118, `the two individual conductors being shown at 19. One of the two conductors 19 vextends in 'unbroken 'continuity through the head of the connecter, but the other isU cut after the insulating covering of a portion of the cable is removed, and the ends of the cgut 'conductor are secured to the Contact members Vl as by soldermgv Y It is very desirable that the cable be held from endwise movement in the headend of the connecter and that the strain be taken off the cont-aets Ia'nd the two, ends of the coni ductjdr leadin'gthereto. 'Io accomplish this result I Aprefer to Vemploy in connection with the connectera pair/of cord locks which are applied vand fastened to the cable on `opposite sides of the point where the covering thereof is removed to vexpose the conductors, and bear against the ends of the head `ll of the connecter, as shown in Fig. l. v .Iy prefer 'to employ for this purpsea cord lock such as constitutes the subject matter of my companion application Serial No. 607,287, wherein I have shown and described a cord lock consisting' of a deformable or compressible metallic sleeve adapted to surround a cable or insulated conductor, Vand containing a sleeve of `compressible insulating material, the whole being so arranged thatjby slipping the cord locl: onto the cable and deformving or contracting it by pressing it inwardly with a suitable tool the insulating sleeve within is caused 'to 'very tightly grip the cable and :prevent the lock from `moving endw-.ise thereon.

In Fig. l I have shown acord locksuch as referred to, the metallic sleeves having enlarged'portions bearing against the inturned lips at the ends of the extension 1l and having 'zi-portion vcrimped inwardly as shown at 20a. rl-his forms an annular' depression in the metallic 'sleeve of the cord lock, and I may if `desired take advantage of this in the prevention of inward movement'of the cord lock by giving the ends of the extension ll inward depressions 'as shown at lla, Y'and adapted to extend into the depressed pai-ts 20 of rthe metal sleeve. VThus it will beseen that by using these cord locks in the` manner stated, the cable 18 is prevented from .being lpulled outward 'or 'pushed inward with respect to the head end of the connecter.

To apply a. connecter involving my invention to a cable, a portion of the covering of the cable is removed so as to expose the conductors, one of which isc'ut and 'the ends freed of the Yrubber insulation. The ends are then soldered to the contacts of the connecter andthe cord locllrs are`-lapplied- Then thehcontactportion of the connecter is laid into Aone of the halves ofthe 4casing whileat Athesame time Athe cable with the cord locks are laid in the head end of said Vhalf ofthe casing. Then the companion half of the casing is applied, and the locking sleeves are then placed on the ends of the two halves vof the casing so as to lock all parts in assembled relation. Y rIhis connecter can be produced inexpensively and it can be applied readily to a cable, and when it is appliedI the 'electrical connection is extremely durable, there being no liability of accidental separation of any ofv the mechanically or electrically, c'onnected parts. Y

While I have shown the, preferred embodi` ment of the invention I do not desireftobe confined to the exact details shown, butfaim in my claims to cover all modifications which 'do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention. Y

Havingdescribedi my invention, VI claim: Al. A series connecter comprising a stamped twoscounterpart T-shaped casing adapted to accommodate a two-wire electric cable, one of said wires beingrcontinuous and the lother being 'severed within/,said casing, a contact member secured within saidcasing and adapted to receive the severed ends of said wire, cord locksI positioned in said casing adjacent opposite ends, and 'sleeves slidablyffitted over the endsof said4 casing to i simultaneously secure the casing together and maintain said cord locks in position. Y V 2. A series connecter comprising a twocounterp'art .casingfhaving tubular head and a lateral 'tubular extension, said head being adapted toA acconimodatea two-wire cable, one of said wiresextending Y c ontinuously through said head while-the other of said wires is severed withinsaid casing, a

vcontact member secured within said lateral lextension vand ladapted to Areceive the severed ends fof said wire,r a sleeve forcibly 'fitted onto the yend of said Aextension to maintain the latter in assembled relation, cord locks cooperating with the ends of said head and said cable, and sleeves forcibly tted Yonto the ends of saidl headl for maintaining' the latter in assembled relation and simultaneously securing said cord locks against movement. v l

, 3. In combination with a two-,wire conductor cable, a series connecter vcomprising a two-part cooperating casing having a portion through which said Wires extend, a contact member secured Within said casing one of said Wires Within said casing being severed and electrically connected with said Contact member, oord looks carried by said cable and positioned Within said casing, and sleeves adapted to slidably engage the ends of said casing to maintain the casing, cord lation.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afix my signature.

FOSTER F. HILLIX. 

